Guilty Pleasures: Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, Book 1

Published almost 10 years ago, Guilty Pleasures marked the debut of a writer who was destined to grow from cult favorite to a major bestselling author. Now, for long-time Anita Blake aficionados and newfound fans, Guilty Pleasures makes its debut in downloadable audio

A Kiss of Shadows: Meredith Gentry, Book 1

"All it would take was my true name being mentioned after dark, and it would float back to my aunt. She was the Queen of Air and Darkness, and that meant that anything said in the dark was hers to hear, eventually. The fact that spotting the missing Elven American Princess had become more popular than spotting Elvis helped."

Exodus: Imp Series, Book 8

Aaru is at war. The rebel angels are calling for Sam's exclusion from the Ruling Council and her banishment to Hel. But Sam's isn't the only future at risk. If they're defeated, Gregory and his brothers will face exile, losing everything they've spent billions of years to build.

Curse on the Land: Soulwood, Book 2

Before Nell Ingram met skinwalker Jane Yellowrock, she had no one to rely on, finding strength only in her arcane connection to the dark woods around her. But now she has friends in the newly formed PsyLED team to keep her grounded - even if being part of the agency responsible for policing paranormals comes with dangers of its own.

Magic Binds: Kate Daniels, Book 9

Mercenary Kate Daniels knows all too well that magic in post-Shift Atlanta is a dangerous business. But nothing she's faced could have prepared her for this.... Kate and the former Beast Lord Curran Lennart are finally making their relationship official. But there are some steep obstacles standing in the way of their walk to the altar.... Kate's father, Roland, has kidnapped the demigod Saiman and is slowly bleeding him dry in his never-ending bid for power.

Blood Vow: Black Dagger Legacy, Book 2

The Black Dagger Brotherhood continues to train the best of the best to join them in the deadly battle against the Lessening Society. Among the new recruits, Axe proves to be a cunning and vicious fighter - and also a loner isolated because of personal tragedy. When an aristocratic female needs a bodyguard, Axe takes the job, though he's unprepared for the animal attraction that flares between him and the one he is sworn to protect.

Blood of the Earth: Soulwood, Book 1

When Nell Ingram met skinwalker Jane Yellowrock, she was almost alone in the world, exiled by both choice and fear from the cult she was raised in, defending herself with the magic she drew from her deep connection to the forest that surrounds her. Now, Jane has referred Nell to PsyLED, a Homeland Security agency policing paranormals, and agent Rick LaFleur has shown up at Nell's doorstep.

WhiteWing: First Ordinance, Book 5

Quin is kept busy placing planet-saving spheres on poisoned worlds. A device has been created on an isolated world that can hide anyone or anything from even the most powerful, including the gods. Quin; the spheres; the device - Vardil Cayetes wants all of those things. Who can stop him, now that he is back and stronger than ever?

Dark Lover: The Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book 1

The vampire Darius fears for the life of his half-breed daughter, who is unaware of her unusual destiny. To oversee her transformation, Darius seeks help from Wrath, a dangerous loner and the world's only purebred vampire.

Legacy of the Demon: Kara Gillian, Book 8

Sidelined demon summoner Kara Gillian has her hands full when dimensional rifts allow demons to cause widespread panic and destruction on Earth. These aren't the human-tolerant summonables she's known before, but demons from the far reaches of the demon realm. Add three demonic lords with conflicting ambitions to the mix, and Kara has the perfect recipe for global disaster.

Archangel's Heart: Guild Hunter Series, Book 9

One of the most vicious archangels in the world has disappeared. No one knows if Lijuan is dead or has chosen to sleep the long sleep of an immortal. But with her lands falling into chaos under a rising tide of vampiric bloodlust, a mysterious and ancient order of angels known as the Luminata calls the entire Cadre together to discuss the fate of her territory. Accompanying her archangelic lover Raphael to the Luminata compound, guild hunter-turned-angel Elena senses that all is not as it seems.

Blood Reunion: Blood Destiny, Book 10

Toff's life is in danger - someone from the Green Fae village wants him dead. In fact, the entire Fae community has begun to grumble as Kifirin's judgment looms. With only a few exceptions, the Fae focus their anger (and the blame) on Toff, who fails to understand why everyone now seems to be against him.

Publisher's Summary

There are a lot of monsters in Anita Blake's life. And some of them are human. One such individual is the man she calls Edward, a bounty hunter who specializes in the preternatural. He calls her to help him hunt down the greatest evil she has ever encountered - something that kills and maims and vanishes into the night. Something Anita will have to face alone.

What the Critics Say

"Anita's usual supporting cast is missing, and she's taking time out from her complex love life, but there's plenty of bloody action, vampires, werewolves, and Aztec ritual. Plus a lot more about Edward. Fans will find this installment similar to the earlier books in the series, particularly The Laughing Corpse." (Amazon.com review)

I enjoyed the book...What chapter was missing...? I noticed a gap near the end and I am wondering if that was it? UHH WHERE IS BOOK 10 "NARCISSUS IN CHAINS"??? I had to download an abridged copy elsewhere and I am very unhappy! How can you have 18 of 19 books in the series and miss one right in the middle??? I am praying I survive my abridged version and hoping they find the 10th book!I would STILL order the unabridged version if they ADD IT. Still a happy listener to this series!

This book teaches us more about Edward, which is good, but there is very little interaction with Jean-Claude or Richard. That is doubly disappointing because audible doesn't offer Narcissus in Chains, the next book and the one after that has a different reader. Enjoy what little of Jean-Claude you get from this one because in Cerulean Sins the reader doesn't do Jean-Claude's accent. One other thing about this book is there seems to be a few tracks or a chapter missing near the end. I was able to follow with out it, but I thought it was strange.

The series starts with Guilty Pleasures, I highly reccommend that book to start. The series is VERY good from book one until book 10. In the first book I did feel like I had missed something, the characters had met some time ago and there was a history. Despite that after a couple of chapters I really got into the book. The series has ALOT of action and mystery. Book 2 is even better. The series is very dark and often gruesome. The descriptions of the crime scenes can be disturbing but the story telling is so good it is worth it! I often got chills and found the stories could even be scary. If you can handle that you should definately try this series. It is VERY different from anything I have ever read or listened to. There is a little romance and sexual tension that starts in book one and builds over time. After book 10 it takes quite a big turn and there is TONS of very discriptive sex. This book Obsidaian Butterfly is one of the best. It tells more about Edward, one of Anita's friends and there is non stop action. Again, very violent, sometimes I can't believe "it went there", but that is why it is sooo good. YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT, NEVER PREDICTABLE! At some point they change who narrates the books, some of them even have sound effects, growling etc. I still really enjoyed it.

I think this was my favorite Anita story. Anita owed Edward the assassin a favor because she killed one his workers, and in this book Edward called in his marker.

Edward was still masquerading as Ted the Bounty Hunter, and now he was engaged to be married to a widow with 2 kids.A monster is killing people and skinning them alive, so Edward assembled a team of the best supernatural monster hunters and killers that he knows, in order to find this skin peeling murderer.

This murderer is obviously supernatural but Anita is in danger from a fanatic police officer, Edward's other assassin Olaf, and possibly the monster. But Anita does what Anita does best---hunt and kill the supernatural predator.

This book didn't have Jean Claude or Richard, because Anita had been avoiding them for over 6 months. Anita wanted to figure out who she wanted and she needed space. So this book was a partnership with Edward. It was well written because the audio was 19 hours and I never felt the length. I actually liked "Ted" with Donna, and the kids Becca and Peter. It made the stone cold assassin more humane and he wasn't as scary.

I like that Olaf will be back so that means Edward will be back. I look forward to that.

What made the experience of listening to Obsidian Butterfly the most enjoyable?

I'm a fairly new listener of Anita Blake series (i'm currently on book 10 Narcissus in Chains) and I have to say that this was not as good as the others one were. Overall it was a good book, but I've become so accustomed to the Anita Jean Claude and Richard triangle that not having it in this book kind of set me off. Overall the storyline was good and we got to see a lot more Anita action independent from her growing "new and improved" abilities.

What does Kimberly Alexis bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I looooove Kimberly Alexis. I'm saddened to hear that after this book some other person is Narrating. Not sure how exactly I will get accustomed to that change but I guess I won't have a choice. Right now I'm actually reading "Narcissus in Chains" book 10 and it is definitely different and sort of difficult for me. I miss Kimberly's voice because she gives the story life and she manages jumping from character to character so easily and well. I find it difficult to read Jean Claude's parts in Narcissus in Chains because I sort of forget what his voice is like in my head. :(

Any additional comments?

I'm sick and tired of Anita being so ridiculous sometimes. She needs to cut the crap and just stay with both of them. I hate that she loves Richard and isn't afraid to admit it, but Jean Claude she is always hesitant about. She loves them both, but she is always so weird about her feelings for Jean Claude, it makes me so maaaad!!!!

Would you consider the audio edition of Obsidian Butterfly to be better than the print version?

Yes.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

The most interesting are the tactical gunfights/ scenes. The narrator, Kimberly Alexis brings you to the edge of your seat as she breathes life into LKH's words. Each character having their own 'voice' in a subtle way. The least interesting are the run on sentences Alexis has to read about Anita's thoughts and the personifications and analogies that get beaten like a badly made drum.

What about Kimberly Alexis’s performance did you like?

I love how she subtly creates character voices and is consistent with them as well as her pronunciation and as accurate as she can be with some of the accents. She doesn't overdo it. Its perfect.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I almost wished I could listen to it all in one sitting. I got audiobooks because I found they kept me awake on the drive home from work. (hour plus commute). I listened on the way in and started dragging my kindle into work, setting it up and listening during points of the day I could. by the time I got home at night, I would sit in the car just to hear another few minutes of the book.

Any additional comments?

This is the best in the series. I have trusted my fellow readers thus far in this series. I began reading them and decided to try the audiobooks. I am glad this one doesn't have any of the main' character's overly complicated and soap opera-ish love story in it. New characters and settings that let me have faith there is more in LKH's mind than fifty shades of grey meets twilight. ((ive read neither series but thats the best my wit can manage)) I really enjoy the character's but I get tired of LKH's insistence in Anita's ego. We get it, she is bad ass and oh so sexy. I love to hate Anita at times and so LKH is doing exactly what she is supposed to be doing, evoking emotion through her talent. I just wish the conversational filler about how bad ass Anita is would be reduced, leaving room for more descriptions or even more mini-storylines.

Yes, I would. I've re-read all the paper-bound books I have of the series, and this is one of my favorites. Being able to listen to it just amps the re-play value. Reasons for the favoriting include that I like Edward's character, and getting to see him developed further is a treat, and this is the last book in the series before Anita is drawn through an angsty growth spurt, so we've got a well developed feisty necromancer bad ass to champion through the slug fest/investigation